Thanks, I guessed so. In the mean time I remembered that while testing the Skywalker in all kinds of abnormal manoeuvres as like I do with everything I fly (hence the Fox <=), I could hold full rudder and some contra aileron and fly in a straight rapid descending line (like old-timer gliders do in slip landings). I think I'll practice that some more and see how viable that is as a short flapless landing technique.

Oh yes, I checked your build out some time ago - it's really neat - almost too neat for a foamy. I just wonder how you did the UHF antenna wiring though at the wing joint (elbow connectors?) as I'm still looking for ideas on how to set up my UHF RX and antennae while I wait for my crimping tools and other stuff to arrive from China and while I grow grey hairs trying to build a descent ground station.

I just wonder how you did the UHF antenna wiring though at the wing joint (elbow connectors?) as I'm still looking for ideas on how to set up my UHF RX and antennae while I wait for my crimping tools and other stuff to arrive from China and while I grow grey hairs trying to build a descent ground station.

I ripped that out again, too cumbersome in transport, I now typically do it like this:

Priority one if it were my Skywalker would be to make sure the CG (balance point) is on the servo wire channel. The plans call for the CG to be 75mm behind the leading edge, the forward edge of the servo wire channel is 78mm back on my Skywalker. I see that people are able to fly at up to 120mm back so there is a wide "envelope". In general, a more forward CG is more stable but a little less efficient. I would put the CG on the servo wire channel, get everything trimmed up, and then you can start moving the CG back in small increments if your really want to experiment. Since the Skywalker is molded EPO, I think that the wing/tail angle of incidence issue is not likely unless there was some gross building error.

henkvdw, sassen, & kubiaks,

Thank you for your input..

Mike

I noticed that the Turnigy motor that is recommended a few pages back; is back-ordered.
Can someone advise me on a motor?
I'm as lost as a prostitute in a church house when it comes to electric power RC .

Spookie, for right or for wrong I actually tested my furthest distance on that flight which was 6500ft LOS...really not far compared to others but I was happy with it. My RSSI was at about 81 and the video held up great, but I just didn't want to push it by going any further.

Ironically I crashed this plane into the lake the next day (check a couple videos back in my Vimeo account for the video) but from about half the distance??? By some miracle a sailor found the plane and returned it to me and it's in perfect shape except I have to test the dried-out electronics...go figure

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpookiePower

Great video and the harbour really looks beautiful from the air

Do you know your longest distance, when you went out over the sea ? You seems to be pretty far away from home.

I'd say you really don't have to have them, I've landed many times without, but it is kinda fun to use them.

In my particular case, having a SW at 3.4kgs, I definitely need the flaps for launch and like having them to shorten the landings. With 3.4kgs of mass behind you the SW just wants to keep going on the final glide before touch down.

Quote:

Originally Posted by cmanley_nl

To those of you who have added flaps:
How effective have they proven to be?
I haven't decided yet on whether I should build them in or not since they seem so small.

Doing some editing using PowerDirector 9 a 15 min YouTube was uploaded showing the entire flight. I thank immersion for a wonderful rc link because during this flight the xmit antenna was vertical while rcv was horizontal. It passed my test.